I am really, really upset that I had to write this, but unfortunately there are people in the US, in 2008, who force me to...
Whoever wrote this rant at the bottom, which I urge ALL of you to read, is a bigot. I feel sorry for the gross level of ignorance that still pervades so many people in this country, and am ashamed to call myself an American as long as people like this author call themselves Americans. Especially considering the gross jingoistic tendencies that would cause poor souls like this author to proclaim himself to be the only true American.
In response to this author, the reason that African Americans and Hispanics didn..t vote beforehand is the same reason that ignorant racists like this author don..t vote: if neither of the candidates who actually stand a chance of getting elected do not represent what you truly believe in and who you believe truly has your interests in mind, there is little to know reason to participate. I understand this, and I understand the anger and disilusionment that comes with having a 2 party system where both parties are more or less the same. Obviously this author is disillusioned; George Wallace (I hope to christ readers know who he is) is dead, and the KKK and the United States National Socialist Workers Party (once again if you have any grasp of history past an 8th grade level you should know what the National Socialist Workers Party is) do not run viable candidates, if they..ve gotten their heads out of their bigoted asses long enough to organize politically.
Mr. Author..s assertion that African Americans still feel they are owed somethign is more or less astute. They do still feel they are owed something from white Amerikkka, and in all honesty, I am with them. The fact that they were freed from slavery, given the right to vote, and released from de jure (state sponsored) segregation means little if the power structure is still firmly controlled by rich white men who put policies into place that serve only to reinforce their economic, social and political power. You can change the laws all you want, but as long as we still live in a society that favors being rich, white and male above all other possibilities, we have a long fucking way to go before you can even talk about equality in the US with a straight face. What we owe to ALL people, including ourselves, is a dismantling of such an unfair power structure, and the casting off of every ugly, hateful stereotype that exists in bigoted rants like the one below.
For those of you who care, look around your neighborhood and try to tell me that it is not segregated. There may be no laws saying that they are segregated, but this will be the reality until A) Banks stop denying loans to African Americans and Hispanics based on racial stereotypes and B) People stop moving out as soon as nonwhites move in. I am ashamed, and will be, as long as such blatant, immature, outdated bigotry exists.
If you want a society where such thing